SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / VA / Chesapeake

Chesapeake County, VA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

33.5
Risk Grade
Excellent
Large Hampton Roads city with significant rural land on southern/western edges; some solar development potential
Assessment Snapshot
Population
249,422
State Rank
#11
Compliance
30%
Trajectory
50

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
No solar-specific setbacks; governed by general municipal zoning
Zoning Mechanism
Chesapeake: Site plan / CUP through city planning commission
Acreage Caps
N/A — independent city; limited developable land
Density Caps
No cap specified
Spacing Rules
No spacing requirements codified
Size Restrictions
No size restrictions codified

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Large Hampton Roads city with significant rural land on southern/western edges; some solar development potential
Basis for Assessment
Independent City council composition; local press; regional solar development patterns
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Chesapeake City Council — verify at chesapeake.gov — Majority Republican (based on 2024 election results)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
PJM / Dominion zone
Utilities
Dominion Energy, None / Single utility territory
State Permitting Process
Local zoning approval via city council/planning commission; DEQ PBR for >5 MW; SCC PBR for 5–150 MW utility-scale under VCEA framework
State Incentives
Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA); Dominion/AEP net metering (residential/commercial); state solar equipment tax exemption; locality solar revenue share option (SB 1258)

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
No confirmed utility-scale solar projects on record — Chesapeake, Virginia
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed denials on record for Chesapeake Independent City.

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Last verified: April 2026 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes